Hidden heartache of losing an animal companion

Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain

The emotional toll of losing a beloved pet during the COVID-19 pandemic has been revealed in an international study, revealing that grief for animals is often profound, enduring and still widely misunderstood.

Co-authored by Professor Damien Riggs from Flinders University and led by Professor Elizabeth Peel from Loughborough University in the UK, the research challenges the long-standing assumption that grief for animals is somehow less valid than grief for humans.

Drawing on survey responses and interviews with 667 pet owners in the UK, the study found that the death of a pet—particularly a dog—was frequently described as heartbreaking, devastating, and in some cases, more painful than the loss of a human family member.

“Many people spoke of their pets as best friends, soulmates, or family members,” says Professor Riggs, from the College of Education, Psychology and Social Work at Flinders University.

“Their grief was overwhelming and long-lasting, yet often hidden or dismissed.”

Published in the journal Death Studies, the research focused on experiences of pet loss during and after the pandemic. COVID-19 restrictions disrupted how people were able to say goodbye to their animals, intensifying feelings of sorrow and trauma.

The paper is titled “Beyond disenfranchized grief: Survey and interview accounts of animal loss through and beyond COVID-19 in the United Kingdom.”

While the survey was conducted in the UK, the findings resonate strongly with pet owners across Australia and around the world. During lockdowns, many Australians relied on their pets for emotional support, companionship, and routine, making the loss of that bond especially painful.

Some participants were unable to be present during their pet’s final moments due to lockdown rules. One woman recalled handing her dog to a vet in a parking lot, unable to be with him at the end. Another described her dog looking back one last time before being led away for euthanasia, calling it one of the most painful experiences of her life.

The study also explored “anticipatory grief”—the emotional pain felt in advance of an expected loss. This was especially common among those with aging or chronically ill pets.

One participant described waking in the night with anxiety about losing her dog, while another said she felt like she was “going to lose her mind” when her dog died.

Professor Peel says the pandemic created a unique context in which the human-animal bond became even more central to people’s lives.

“For many, pets were their main source of comfort and connection during lockdowns,” she says.”Losing that bond, especially under such difficult circumstances, had a profound emotional impact.”

The researchers suggest using terms like “animal-focused grief” may better capture the emotional reality of losing a pet and encourage more inclusive support for people mourning animals.

They say it’s time to rethink the assumption that grief should only be centered around human loss, and instead recognize the deep bonds many people share with their pets.

As more people turn to animals for companionship and emotional support—especially in times of crisis—the study calls for greater awareness, compassion, and support for those grieving the loss of a pet.

The authors say grieving a pet is a unique kind of grief.

“There’s often no real sense of closure,” says Professor Riggs.

The findings highlight the need for more inclusive grief support services and public recognition of the emotional weight carried by those mourning the loss of a beloved animal—in Australia and beyond.

Why mourning a pet can be harder than grieving for a person